


I’ll Be There

by NataliaWhite92



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alex and Lena brotp, F/F, Humor, Introspective Lena, SuperCorp, Tiny bit of Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-08
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2020-01-07 01:04:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18399977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NataliaWhite92/pseuds/NataliaWhite92
Summary: The exploration of friendship between Lena and Alex.





	I’ll Be There

**Author's Note:**

> I haven’t watched any of the current season of Supergirl but I keep seeing Alex and Lena on tumblr and from those posts this was born. Alex and Lena’s friendship is one of my absolute favorites, I love them both crazy amounts. Enjoy my completely self indulgent fic :)

If you need me, I’ll be there. 

She wasn’t used to these words, not directed at her. Not given freely. Nothing was offered to someone like her. Everything had strings. 

She had learned to identify hidden agendas when most kids her age were learning their times tables. Part of being a Luthor was realizing that there was more being said by the silences than the words coming out of people’s mouths. A look can show where their desires lie. A micro expression is the difference between truth and falsities. 

When Lex taught her chess she didn’t know at the time it was the strategies she would employ for the rest of her life. Thinking seven moves ahead became second nature. He may have become a mass murdering psychopath but he wasn’t wrong about everything. Not that she would share that with anyone. Trying to make her way in the world as anything but another Luthor was hard enough already. 

Being alone wasn’t a problem for Lena. She was good at it, after decades of practice it was what she was used to. She thrived on having a routine, wearing a groove. She liked being at work until all hours of the night when inspiration struck her. She liked sneaking down to R&D when everyone else had left and looking through the designs, getting her hands on the devices that they were toiling over. She had to stop herself from taking them apart and fixing them. But then realized why should she? This was her lab and she could tinker with anything she wanted. She didn’t though, she put whatever she had happened upon back down where it came from. She believed in respecting boundaries even if no one would ever know the temptation she resisted. 

Lena was comfortable. She was happy. She was lying to herself but to her own credit she didn’t know it at the time. When she looks back on the time before she met Kara Danvers she realizes that what she thought was happiness was really just settling for contentedness and pretending that was enough. 

She didn’t expect anything as far as a social life. Her socialization came in the form of patronizing old white men who she took down in the conference room and anonymous one night stands where she controlled in the bedroom. Jess was her closest friend and she tried not to lament that depressing realization. She shouldn’t, Jess was an amazing human being and anyone would be lucky to be her friend, but most people wouldn’t be paying her for it. That comparison made her worry about prostitution for a brief moment and she made a sizable donation to the charity that helped teens get out of the life and prosecute their pimps to assuage her guilty thoughts. She knew she couldn’t control the random connections her brain made, most of them too quick to even make sense of. She knew that her charitable donations were heavily influenced by her many layers of guilt in general. Which couldn’t be considered a bad thing when the end result was helping others. She also knew that it would never be enough to make up for what her family had done. 

Reporters were a necessary evil when you had spent your whole life in the spotlight. She wondered errantly about getting a check up for her ulcer condition from a discreet doctor now that she was living in National City as she waited for the latest interview to begin so it could end and she could start working with her PR department to minimize the damage. 

From the moment Kara Danvers trailed Clark Kent into her office, appearing meek behind the man of steel himself but quickly showing she was more than just a doe eyed newb, Lena’s whole life changed. She hoped she didn’t sound as desperate as she thought when she offered the olive branch in the form of a smirked invitation that held a part of her loneliness which Kara seemed to soothe just in proximity. She berated herself that night for being weak. When Kara came back just days later she celebrated and reconsidered her stand on weakness. 

She didn’t know exactly how it happened, one day she was getting used to the idea of good people maybe existing in a more tangible way than the fairy tales created by a small sad child and the next she was in love. She would sooner admit she knew Kara’s secret than that she was harboring feelings for her only friend. In the end it was inevitable, set in motion the moment they met and finally coming to a culmination when she was comforted once again and let herself believe in just a little bit more. 

When she kissed Kara her heart stopped. When Kara kissed her back it jump started back to life. Adrenaline shot through her veins and she saw colors never before imagined. She kissed Kara with her heart and soul and prayed that it would be enough. She left herself open and vulnerable because Kara had shown her that sometimes people don’t hurt you, sometimes there’s still good. She kissed Kara and let her life begin. 

Lena lets the memories wash over her as she relives those early feelings of love, a wary kind that she almost ran away from many times. Her heart raced so fiercely in her chest that day she knew even if Kara wasn’t super she would have heard it. She was so scared when they moved their relationship securely to the other side of friendship. She was always waiting for the moment Kara looked at her and recognized the Luthor that lurked within her. She tried to destroy their happiness so many times but each would lead to Kara proving herself to Lena all over again. She twirls her wedding ring absently around her finger and makes a note to do something special for her wife of 8 years this weekend. She really does have the patience of a saint, giving Lena the thousands of repetitions and reminders of her love until she finally found a way to believe her. She never stopped being surprised by the way Kara loved, with her entire being like there was nothing to fear. But Lena knew better, her wife had lost so much but it had taught her just how important what she found was. 

Lena looks at the faces of those gathered in their new home, designed by Lena and built by Kara, celebrating the start of another chapter for the two of them. One that would hopefully welcome new life into the walls of their home. Lena looked toward the upstairs back right corner of the second level where the only room to not be fully set up resided. It was still only primed, the argument for color one that was still going on. There were boxes of unpacked furniture and tubs of supplies. But they hadn’t completing it yet. They were still waiting, but maybe for not too much longer. 

“What’s got those wheels turning Luthor?” 

“For someone who shares the same last name as I do nowadays you sure forget to use it.” Lena doesn’t look at Alex yet, trying to keep her poker face sharp but finding after many years it has dulled dramatically from what it used to be. 

“I’ve got to give you a hard time. With Kara treating you like a Queen someone has to balance the scales. Can’t have your head getting any bigger than it already is.” 

“My head is perfectly proportionate thank you.” 

“Eh, maybe. But I’m still going to tease you. It’s what big sister’s do.” 

Lena looks at the redhead next to her, so much like the spitfire she met all those years ago when she barged into her office in a huff but with the maturity and laugh lines standing proudly on her well aged face. 

“Thanks Alex.” 

“Anytime kid. Anytime.” 

The first time Lena met Alex she saved her life. Lena saved Alex that is. Alex saved Lena so many times afterwards but Lena was always quick to point out who started the trend. 

The second time Lena met the real Agent Danvers when she barged in her office, Jess frantically trailing and complaining about the damn Danvers sisters. 

“Thank you Jess. It’s fine.” 

Jess grumbles a little more before shooting daggers at Alex and leaving, closing the door with a little extra firmness behind her. 

Lena takes in the slight smirk that graces Alex’s face as she turns her attention toward the gloating agent. She crosses her legs and lets her foot tap the air, keeping the rest of herself held tight as she waits. She is the picture of calm but inside her mind is racing and she thanked the deity that she didn’t believe in that this Danvers sister could not hear how fast her pulse was racing. 

“Ms. Luthor.” 

“Must we continue with the formalities Agent Danvers? Unless they make you more comfortable of course.” Score one for Lena as Alex rubbed the back of her neck and shuffled minutely before once again widening her stance and staring back at Lena. 

“Lena then.” 

“Much better. What can I do for you today? Someone else in need of shooting? Or were you just taking the task of monitoring the resident Luthor into more personal hands? ” 

Alex is quick to glare and reassure Lena that this was not the case. 

“I was joking Alex. What can I help you with?” 

Lena respects Alex’s direct eye contact even though her face betrays her, she was trained to spot these things after all. 

“We need to talk about Supergirl.” 

“You mean Kara? I thought we had dropped pretenses.” 

“Damn it! She told you?” Professionalism swiftly leaves Alex as she adopts the mantle of disgruntled older sister fluidly, arms crossing and scowl intensifying before Lena’s eyes. 

“Not in so many words, we have yet to talk about it actually, but it wasn’t particularly hard to deduce. Even without Lex’s files on Clark Kent, Kara has a certain presence that can’t be hidden behind soft sweaters and a pair of glasses.” 

Alex stops her annoyed pacing and turns slowly, actions measured and careful. 

“Does he know?”

“Of course not. If he did I would find a way to see to it that he would forget.” 

“You would be willing to do that? Why?” 

“I am a Luthor after all.” 

Alex relaxes and drops into the chair in front of the CEO’s desk. She lets her head fall into her hands and takes a couple of deep breaths before looking back at Lena. Her gaze holds none of the harshness or fear it previously had. It is almost soft, though a word like that could rarely be applied to the agent. Lena sees below her mask though. She sees the sister who lived a lifetime of protecting Kara, who loved her. She maybe even catches a hint of gratitude in those eyes but she was probably just wishing it into existence. 

“You’re not just a Luthor, Lena.”

“Well no one is just one thing of course. I am a Luthor though, and as such have access to near endless resources. I won’t let anything happen to her Alex. Not if I can prevent it.” 

“You love her.” It is plainly stated. An olive branch of understanding being offered. Every instinct inside Lena tells her to make a joke, to deflect, to make Alex leave here with the surety of how impossible that statement was. Lena fights though. 

“I do.” She whispers. It is the first time she has admitted it to herself as well as out loud. 

“She loves you too.” 

This one Lena balks at. Having feelings for the embodiment of goodness that was Kara Danvers of one thing. But Lena was no fool, she would never presume to have those feelings returned, much less acknowledged by Kara’s older sister. 

“I believe you are mistaken Agent Danvers.” 

“Who’s hiding behind pretenses now?” 

Alex gets up with a nod toward Lena before turning and exiting the door. At least that’s what Lena thought, having closed her eyes and reminded herself to breath as Alex’s back turned. She is pulled from her moment with the gentle clearing of Alex’s throat, one hand around the handle to the door of Lena’s office. 

“If you need me, I’ll be there.” With one more nod she left. 

Lena never thought she would take Alex up on the offer, one she assumed had been made in a moment of weakness by the redhead upon learning that Lena didn’t plan to release Supergirl’s secret identity to her supposed villainous cohorts. As time passed and loving Kara became her norm she knew that she was fooling herself. The more time she spent around Alex the more she learned that there was nothing more important to her than family. Somehow Lena had joined those ranks, and not just because she was with Kara but because she was finally being seen as who she really was instead of through the lens of expectations everyone had when they heard her last name. 

Lena did take her up on it. She called Alex when Kara got hurt and Lena was frantic with worry having been watching the fight on her television. She called Alex when Kara was pouting so she could tell her to be strong, a tactic the Kryptonian complained about since pouts don’t work when directed over the phone. She called Alex when she needed a gun to finally give in to her Luthor genes and get rid of a select few board members. Alex talked her down after laughing at her for a solid minute but then taught her how to shoot one adrenaline filled weekend that Kara was away, claiming that this was safer than Lena accidentally shooting herself next time she needed to save someone’s life. She called Alex to “nerd out” as Kara dubbed it when a new discovery had been made and she needed someone else to go into details and theorize with. 

Calling Alex became normal. As normal as possible for someone who didn’t really know how to have friends. Lena was a combination of insecurities and a scientist though and she wondered how long it would last. Calling Alex about Kara was very different than leaning on her for her own issues. She still held back, didn’t want to push too far, didn’t want her hypothesis to be proved right. 

It was taken out of her hands eventually. Kara was in Metropolis helping Superman with some nasty alien looking to wreck the world. Lena tried not to watch the fight too closely, she would just worry herself into a frenzy and she had too much work to do to allow herself to be distracted. Even when Kara was winning Lena tended to get distracted by her arms, and her hair, and her cocky attitude that came out so very rarely. Easier to just avoid the whole thing and focus on work. 

Jess came rushing into her office, face attempting meticulously to appear unconcerned but at odds with how she entered the room enough for Lena to pay attention. 

“Jess?” 

“Ms. Luthor you need to see something.” 

“What is it Jess? What’s going on?” 

Jess hesitates before pulling a magazine from behind her back. It was some trash rag that made its living by creating problems and rumors when before they didn’t exist and marketing to people who were too bored for their own good. Lena wasn’t familiar with this particular one but it’s bright colors and popping fonts were similar to others that had run stories of her before. 

“And what am I supposed to have done now? Threatened puppies? Funded some dastardly plot? Declared myself ruler of the world? Anything new?” 

Lena starts laughing, expecting Jess to join in whenever they accused her of doing something particularly original or crazy. But Jess didn’t laugh. The color had drained from her face and she was holding the magazine forward in offering as though she desperately wanted to pull it away. 

“Jess what is it?”

“I’m sorry Ms. Luthor. I don’t know how they got this photo.” 

Lena snatches the magazine away and starts ripping through the pages until she came to a full page spread of herself. And someone else. Kissing her. 

She barely takes in the accompanying article on the next page, enough to understand they are accusing her of cheating on Kara. Enough to see that they had portrayed this incident that happened last week as one of passion that was consented to by both parties. Enough to know that she had a serious breach of security as the photo had to have come from her companies security cameras due to the angle. 

“That will be all Jess. Thank you.”

“Ms. Luthor…”

“You may leave. Please cancel the rest of my day.”

Jess hesitates for a moment longer before turned and leaving. Lena barely even notices. She lets the magazine fall to her desk but can’t stop looking at the photo. This man, this horrible little man, who was asking for funding on his project had surged forward before she had a chance to realize what was going on and kissed her. 

The hands that were on his shoulders were in the process of pushing him away before she called security. She had him escorted out after a blistering lecture about presumptions. She had threatened to blacklist his name if he contacted her again and told him that if she ever heard of any kind of impropriety from her other business associates he would have even larger problems than not getting funding. 

But she hadn’t told Kara yet. Between her Supergirl duties and her latest story at CatCo Kara had been exceptionally busy this week. They had barely shared a meal, let alone a conversation. Lena woke up every night when Kara would exhaustedly fall into bed with a kiss to Lena’s temple before sleep claimed her, still in her suit most of the time. Lena would leave a note and some extra pastries for her overworked girlfriend upon going to work in the mornings but sometimes things were just busy. Then she was called to Metropolis by her cousin last night. Lena would never hide this from Kara, she just had yet to have a chance to tell her. It wasn’t something one casually mentioned over texting or even a call. Especially when she had a very protective girlfriend who could literally throw the man into space. No she planned to tell her and then calm her down with gentle touches and maybe some persuasion of her own. 

Lena doesn’t realize she is losing her hold on the present until the tingling reaches her wrists. She tries to bring breath into her body but her chest is tightening and she is starting to get fuzzy. She couldn’t remember the numbers. She couldn’t make herself stop. 

Then someone is there with her. She told Jess to leave. Why did she come back? But it doesn’t sound like Jess. The voice is softer but also rings with an authority Jess never has had before. 

It’s like listening from underwater and Lena tries so hard to breach. 

“That’s right Lena. Take a breath. Listen to my breathing and try to match it.” 

She feels her hand touch fabric and it breaks through her tingling. She grabs it and watches her fingers tighten, the action still removed enough for her to almost not recognize her own fingers. 

Slowly her breaths come easier. She matches hers to those she feels entering and leaving the chest of the person in front of her. She feels herself almost re enter her body, as the consciousness comes back she realizes just how exhausted she is. It’s been a long time since she had a panic attack and she forgot what it was like to recover. 

She looks up past the chest of the anonymous person who helped her and realizes that she knows who it is. 

“Alex?” 

“How are you feeling?” 

“Tired.” She knows that’s not all Alex is asking but it’s the truest answer she can give. 

“Can you stand?” 

She shrugs but lets Alex help her up and lead her to the couch. She takes the cup of water from her and only sloshes a little when she tries to take a drink. 

“You’re safe Lena. I don’t know what happened but you’re safe. I won’t leave if you want to tell me what happened. Even if you don’t I’ll wait here with you.” 

“Wait for what?” 

“For Kara. She said she would be here as soon as possible.” 

Lena felt her pulse pick back up as she realizes Kara is coming. 

“No! No Alex she can’t come here right now.” 

“You don’t want Kara to come?” 

Lena doesn’t know what to say. Of course she wants Kara. She needs Kara. But she can’t lose her. She can’t see her face when she looks at the magazine and watch her feel betrayed. She can’t look into her eyes and see them change when she looks at Lena. She can’t listen to her tell her she’s done and walk out of her life. She can’t bring her here just to lose her. 

Lena points to the magazine and watches Alex glance at the picture. She looks at her hands, she doesn’t want to see Alex’s reaction. 

Alex crouches in front of her and grabs her hands. 

“Lena, who do you think sent me here? Kara knows. She is on her way to make sure you are okay.” 

“She knows?” 

“She saw it when she got tossed into some news stand during the fight and called me and told me to get here.” 

“Is she going to leave me?” 

“No Lena, no. Of course not.” 

“But I didn’t tell her.” 

“Lena, there is no universe that Kara would think you would cheat on her. She doesn’t know what’s going on but I know you would never do that to her. I see you two together and how in love you are. She knows Lena. Just tell her what happened.” 

“She can’t leave Alex. I can’t lose her.”

“You won’t.” 

“Will you stay with me?” 

“Don’t you know by now, you’re stuck with me?”

Lena lets her draw her into her side and lays her head down on Alex’s shoulder. She lets her talk about nothing just to have some kind of noise. They wait together until Kara gets there and when Kara pulls her into a hug Lena watches Alex leave after kissing them both on the forehead. Alex waves at the doorway and Lena smiles her thanks. 

It’s two years later that Lena calls Alex and asks to meet for coffee. Four years after that first tense talk they had in her office; which they both were accused of over exaggerating, especially when whiskey was involved. 

Alex walks through the door and rolls her eyes upon seeing Lena already sitting at their normal table at Noonan’s (a different table than the one Kara and her always shared of course, the sister’s really were ridiculous about their claims on things) with her phone out returning emails and sipping a latte. 

“One of these days Luthor you’re going to learn to read a watch and actually arrive on time somewhere.” 

“My watch seems to be fully functional and look at that, it’s telling me you are in fact fifteen minutes early to our agreed upon meeting time.” 

Lena receives a second eye roll and a muttered thanks as she pushed Alex’s coffee (black with an extra espresso shot and one sugar) toward her. 

“You know this is going to get worse. I don’t like losing Luthor. If I have to pull a badge and get them to open their doors early just to let me in so I can beat you here I will.” 

“Money talks dear. I could slip them a few thousand dollars and I’m sure they would be happy to see things my way.” 

They had reached the stand off that happened often when they argued, playfully of course but still filled with the stubbornness of two women who were not used to being outshone. Lena smiles as Alex pinches her eye a little which caused Lena to mirror her and blink first. She lets the laugh roll over her and relaxes as she turns her phone to silent. 

“Well now that’s out of the way, why don’t you tell me what’s going on.” 

“Is it so hard to believe I just wanted to catch up with my second favorite secret agent?” 

“First off, yes. I saw you two nights ago at your apartment if you forgot plus I know you. Something’s up and a certain somebody told me she would be unavailable because she had to fly all over this planet apparently getting things that you absolutely had to have tonight because of… well I didn’t actually listen to the full explanation because of the nausea when she gets started talking about fulfilling your every need yada yada. Also, second favorite? Since when?”

“That ramble almost reached Kara level. I’m both impressed and a little enamored.” She raises her eyebrow to full effectiveness and smirkes at a now blushing Alex. 

“Stop that right now! Don’t think you can distract me with your flirting. I’m immune after all these years. Answer the question. Both questions! Damn it Lena stop smirking!” 

“Remind me of the question hot stuff. I was distracted by your new haircut.” 

“LENA!” 

“Alright alright,” she laughed again, “Vasquez usurped you in my top spot. She helped me distract Kara yesterday at the DEO so I could talk to J’onn.” 

“I had an appointment yesterday! You know damn well I would have helped you! That’s a completely unfair determinant in the ranking system.” 

“Help me today and you can reclaim your spot stud.” 

“Just tell me before I shoot you for the fun of it.” Alex rushes through as she tries to hide the blush coloring her face once again. 

“I want to propose to Kara.” Lena couldn’t help the smile that took over her face as she said this out loud, not that she tried very hard, or at all. 

“NO!” 

The smile quickly vanishes and Lena flinches away on instinct at the vehemence of Alex’s reaction. Her stomach churns with anxiety and she pinches her fingers below the table. She doesn’t allow herself any other fidgeting but she honestly had not been expecting this. Alex had been her friend for years now, the two of them growing close in their continued effort to protect and love Kara. They had long since established their own friendship as well and Lena feels blindsided and hurt. 

She can’t look at Alex as she prepares to defend her decision. She never thought she would need to persuade Alex but she will do her best to get her approval anyways. 

“Alex, I know I’m not the best person and not just because of the family I came from. I work way too much, I can shut down emotionally on the drop of a dime, I don’t know how to accept good things when they happen in my life… No let me get this out,” she pleads when Alex moves to interrupt her, she looks Alex in the eye now needing her to hear and understand this next part, “I may not be the best person, or the easiest to be with all the time, but I love your sister. I love Kara more than I thought it was possible to love someone. I love Kara every second of every day, even when she makes me want to pull out my own hair I love her. I love her when she eats the last of the leftovers I had specifically saved for lunch. I love her when she brings home flea infested strays and asks me if they can stay even though I told her that six dogs is more than enough. I love her when she holds me together when I’m sure I’m going to break apart. I love her when she tells me about Krypton and cries in my arms. I love her when she tries to make me breakfast in bed and I’m awoken by those same dogs barking at the smoke filling our apartment. I love her Alex and I want to be with her for as long as possible if that’s what she wants too.” She lets out a giant breath and holds the tears that are threatening to fall out of her eyes. 

“Are you finished?” Alex’s tone doesn’t give her any hints and she laments being so out of practice in reading people. 

“Yes…” 

“Okay. Lena, for a certified genius you are a literal idiot sometimes. I wasn’t saying no to you two getting married, for god’s sake. I was saying no because if you make me lose $200 I will be very annoyed. You couldn’t have waited another month? I mean we are going to be sisters-in-law after all, do me a solid.” 

Lena lets the tears fall as she laughs and laughs. She throws her napkin at Alex and laughs some more. 

Lena brings herself back to the present smiling at the memories. It was a long road to get here, to this house, to this family, to this life. She would have never thought she could be this happy. She wishes she could go back to the scared little girl who had been lead into the Luthor household by the hand of Lionel and just tell her how much better it was going to get. She wishes she could give her a hug and tell her how her future would be even better than the fairy tales she whispers to herself to fall asleep. 

“Just thinking about how I got here.” 

“Well come on, stop living in the past and come celebrate. It’ll be where you left it later and right now we’ve got a couple of wives probably wondering where we disappeared to.” 

“Alright stud, lead the way. Wouldn’t want them to worry after all.” 

“Lena fucking Luthor you stop that right now.” The blush that still got called forth after all these years heating Alex’s cheeks once again. 

“It’s Lena Danvers thank you very much.” 

“You’re right. The Luthor name never deserved you kid. You are definitely a Danvers.” 

Lena let a tear fall down her face, no longer ashamed of her emotions but instead embracing them. She let herself be pulled into a one armed hug by Alex as they started toward the rest of the party. 

“Thanks Alex.” 

“Of course, you know if you ever need me I’ll still be here.” 

“I know.” 

“Good, now let’s go.” 

Lena walked toward her wife, her life, and her happiness. As hard fought as it was, she appreciated every step that had brought her here. She was home.

**Author's Note:**

> Those two. Just so much happiness :)  
> Hope you enjoyed it as well.  
> As always pop over to my tumblr Nataliawhite92 with questions, comments, or prompts.  
> Doing these one shots keeps me sane while working on a multific.  
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
